Chamber and committees

I am very confident that we, in Scotland, are doing everything that we can do. However, that is not helped by decisions that have been taken by the UK Government. We have austerity, inflation and an inadequate benefits system. As I said, I am confident that we are doing everything that we can do in this Government. However, I lack confidence in the UK Government.

I will move on to infant mental health and perinatal mental health. We recognise the importance of good infant mental health and the impact of poor parental mental health on early child development. Since 2019, we have overseen a significant programme of change to support the mental health needs of parents, infants and families across Scotland. I appreciate the concerns that have been raised about CAMHS, however, and that we still have work to do, but I want to highlight that the past five quarters have featured the five highest figures on record for the numbers of children starting treatment. We are moving in the right direction—we are seeing better performance and we will continue to consider how we can improve that further.

I really appreciated Ruth Maguire’s comments on play. We will continue to promote the importance of play in supporting early child development—physically, socially and cognitively. We have continued to support national initiatives such as “Play, Talk, Read” and bookbug, which are supporting thousands of our youngest children up and down Scotland with books and low-cost activities. Through my work in Government and my personal connections—as most members know, I have two young children at home—I hear about the difference that those initiatives are making and about how appreciated they are by families and parents across Scotland.

Our investment of £60 million to renew play parks across Scotland will make play more accessible in our communities, which will provide families, grandparents, carers and friends with spaces in which to spend precious time together. I assure members that I will continue to promote and push the importance of play for children as a way to support positive mental health and a healthy lifestyle, to build positive relationships and to lay the foundation for future years’ growth and development.

I have been on a number of visits recently, seeing at first hand how nurseries and schools are embedding play and, importantly, outdoor play in their settings.

What is also important and encompasses many of the efforts that I have just laid out is the need to support both the child and the family through promoting bonding relationships as a key factor in improving child development, and supporting parents and carers to build strong relationships with their children by giving them opportunities to do so.

Early learning has been raised by a number of members from all sides of the chamber. I whole-heartedly recognise the issues that were raised by Willie Rennie, Fulton MacGregor, Oliver Mundell and several other members.

I am actively engaging in, and working to support, our hugely valued PVI sector. As a critical first step towards addressing the recruitment and retention issues that are facing the sector, we are funding pay of £12 per hour for ELC professionals in that sector.

As I said in my previous answer, we are currently seeking feedback on the statement of intent through the online questionnaire and a host of engagement events, including the Glasgow Disability Alliance’s transitions event for young people, the Scottish Youth Parliament and the forthcoming carers parliament. That is an important step to sense check what we have heard so far. We want to get this right. Findings from that phase of engagement will be used to develop the strategy for the future, on which we will aim to consult more widely in spring 2024.

Again, the figures were produced in line with different stakeholders, including COSLA. I will hand over to Jack Eykelbosch to go through some of the finances in a little more detail.

In terms of what element? I am sorry—I believe that I have answered your question about sequencing. The two issues should be quite separate.

It is certainly something that we will be looking at in advance of stage 2, and it will be dependent on those stage 2 deliberations. I think that Kate Wallace said that she could provide international evidence on how this matter has been handled in other areas, and I would certainly be very interested in taking a further look at that. However, as I have said, considerations on the matter are on-going.

I would have to bring in an official to comment on the legal status, but I would say that, in line with keeping the Promise and the UNCRC, we need to ensure that we are balancing the rights of all children equally. I appreciate from Ruth Maguire’s question that it would seem that there are concerns about whether that is happening in relation to victims, but in terms of—

I believe that I alluded to this in my opening remarks. As I advised in previous sessions, we had used the lower end of the scale in that respect, and we have now taken the maximum. Also, in the previous financial memorandum, we used the cut-off of 17.5 years, and we have now taken that up to 18 years. We have probably overconsidered, as it were, how many additional hearings there will be. However, we have taken the absolute maximalist approach and, as I said, have taken it up to the full age of 18.

There are, therefore, two reasons for the increase. The first is that, in the first financial memorandum, we took the lower end of the scale, which we are now changing. Equally, we have moved the age up to 18 to address the issue.

Absolutely.

I cannot get into stage 2 amendments at this stage; that would be for stage 2.

As I alluded, a host of work has been going on over the summer. We have been working with the key agencies and stakeholders who will be involved in the implementation of the bill and how it transpires. That issue is under consideration, and, if further support is required, it will be given once the bill commences.

I am not sure whether Brendan Rooney has anything to add.